The School for Scandal: Act 4, Scene 3 Summary & Analysis

In the library at Joseph Surface’s house, Joseph is waiting for Lady Teazle, who is late. Joseph reflects to himself that Sir Peter does not suspect him of having an affair with his wife, but he hopes he will not lose Maria as a result of this affair with Lady Teazle. The servant tells him that Lady Teazle has arrived and then goes to let her in. Joseph reflects that he cannot let Lady Teazle know that he hopes to marry Maria until he feels like she is more in love with him and under his control.

Lady Teazle enters and sees Joseph looking serious. She complains that Sir Peter is ill natured and jealous of Charles. She says she wishes that Sir Peter would allow Maria and Charles to marry, because he would stop suspecting Lady Teazle and Charles of having an affair then. To himself, Joseph says he hopes this doesn’t happen, but agrees with Lady Teazle aloud, adding that Lady Teazle would stop suspecting Joseph of having any interest in Maria if Maria and Charles were married. Lady Teazle says she believes him.

Lady Teazle begins to complain that her friend Lady Sneerwell spreads rumors about her, which makes Sir Peter even more suspicious. The worst part, she says, is that she is perfectly innocent and deserves none of it. Joseph says that the only solution to the problem—that is, of Sir Peter suspecting Lady Teazle of betraying him for no reason—is for her to betray him in reality. He goes on to say that it is because she knows herself to be innocent that she is careless about making sure nothing she does could cause suspicion—she is “dying from too much health.” Lady Teazle says that this is a very odd doctrine, but Joseph counters that she only finds his logic questionable because she is still not used to London high-society. She says she would be more likely to be convinced to start an affair by Sir Peter’s ill-natured treatment of her than by Joseph’s logic.

Just as Joseph reaches to take Lady Teazle’s hand, the servant walks in to tell him that Sir Peter has arrived. Both Joseph and Lady Teazle panic: they can hear Sir Peter climbing the stairs to the room. Lady Teazle hides behind a screen. Joseph pretends to be dozing over a book as Sir Peter enters. Sir Peter approves of Joseph always trying to educate and improve himself. Sir Peter says he wants to talk to Joseph about a sensitive subject: he is very unhappy with Lady Teazle, who does not love him, and whom he suspects is having an affair. Joseph pretends to be shocked.

Sir Peter tells Joseph he believes that Charles and Lady Teazle are lovers. Joseph expresses disbelief, and Sir Peter replies that Joseph’s morality may make it hard for him imagine other people’s bad behavior. Joseph agrees, but says he thinks Lady Teazle would be unlikely to be unfaithful. Sir Peter says she could have been attracted to the handsome, lively Charles and that the difference in their ages may make it impossible for Lady Teazle to love him. He says that everyone will laugh at him for marrying a much younger woman, if it comes out that Lady Teazle is having an affair. Joseph says he disown his brother if he sees proof of an affair with Lady Teazle. Sir Peter praises Joseph’s sentiments.

Sir Peter says to Joseph that he wishes to make sure that he gives Lady Teazle no cause to be upset with him. He shows Joseph two drafts of the financial arrangements he is making for Lady Teazle. He has determined to give her eight hundred pounds a year and most of his money upon his death. Joseph tells Sir Peter that this is very generous, but says to himself that he hopes this will not decrease his own influence over Lady Teazle.

Sir Peter begins to talk about Joseph’s hope to marry Maria. Joseph tries to stop Sir Peter, saying that he does not want to selfishly talk about himself when Sir Peter’s happiness in his marriage is at stake. Sir Peter continues, though, saying that he wishes Joseph would allow him to tell Lady Teazle about Joseph’s hope to marry Maria, because he thinks she would help them to arrange it.

A servant enters and announces that Charles has come to see Joseph. Joseph orders the servant to tell Charles he is out, but Sir Peter says he wants Charles to come up. He says he will hide in the room and listen to the brothers’ conversation while Joseph asks Charles about Lady Teazle. Reluctantly, Joseph agrees. Sir Peter is about to step behind the screen when he spots the bottom of a woman’s dress. Joseph explains that a young French hat-maker was in his room on a romantic tryst, and that she hid behind the screen when Sir Peter arrived unexpectedly. Sir Peter teases Joseph for secretly being a ladies’ man, and then hides in a closet. Lady Teazle peeks her head out and asks if there is any way she can escape, but Joseph urges her back. Then Sir Peter peeks his head out, telling Joseph to be sure to get an answer from Charles. Lady Teazle pokes her head out again, and then Sir Peter again.

Charles enters. He says he had heard Sir Peter was with Joseph, and asks where he has gone. Joseph says Sir Peter avoided him because he believes that Lady Teazle and Charles are having an affair. Charles laughs at this idea, saying it sounds like Sir Peter has discovered what it is like to have a young wife. Joseph tells Charles to be serious, and Charles says that he never considered pursuing Lady Teazle. At one time, he says, it seemed to him that she might be interested in him, but he is attached to Maria. Charles says that he would never deliberately do something dishonorable, but if a pretty woman with a husband old enough to be her father were to throw herself at him, he would need “to borrow a little of your morality.”

Charles says he is surprised that Joseph would think that he and Lady Teazle are having an affair, because Charles believed that Lady Teazle prefers Joseph. Joseph tries to hush Charles, but Charles mentions that he has seen Joseph and Lady Teazle exchange significant glances and even found them alone together. In a panic, Joseph whispers to Charles that Sir Peter has overheard everything they have been saying. Over Joseph’s objections, Charles then pulls Sir Peter from the closet. Sir Peter shakes Charles’s hand, saying he no longer suspects him, and tells Charles not to be mad at Joseph for participating in Sir Peter’s scheme to spy on him. Sir Peter believes that Charles’s suggestions that Joseph and Lady Teazle have feelings for one another were just a joke.

The servant enters and tells Joseph that someone has come to see him. Joseph tries to persuade Charles and Sir Peter to come downstairs with him, but Charles says he wants to spend some time alone with Sir Peter. Joseph says he will go send this visitor away, and whispers to Sir Peter not to mention the hidden French girl to Charles. Sir Peter promises. Left alone, Sir Peter tells Charles that he should emulate his brother. Charles says that Joseph is too prudish to be emulated. Sir Peter cannot resist the prank, and, greatly amused, tells Charles that Joseph has a lover hidden in the room behind the screen. Just as Joseph reenters the room, Charles pulls down the screen, revealing Lady Teazle.

Charles and Sir Peter exclaim in surprise. Charles asks Joseph, Sir Peter, and Lady Teazle what is going on, but no one answers him. Charles then leaves, first chiding Joseph for giving Sir Peter cause for worry, and repeating Sir Peter’s words that “there’s nothing in the world so noble as a man of sentiment!” back to him.

After an awkward silence, Joseph stammers that he can explain everything. Sir Peter tells him to do so. Joseph gives a convoluted explanation, suggesting that Lady Teazle came to his house so that he could explain to her that he wanted to marry Maria without making Sir Peter jealous. Sir Peter sarcastically calls this a clear explanation, and then asks Lady Teazle if she will vouch for it. Lady Teazle denounces Joseph as a hypocrite, saying there is not a word of truth in what he said. She tells Sir Peter that she came to listen to Joseph try to seduce her, although she had not yet decided whether or not to be seduced.

Joseph objects, but Lady Teazle goes on. She says that, although she cannot expect Sir Peter to trust her now, she was very touched by the tender way he talked about her to Joseph, and, even if she had not been discovered, she would have treated him differently from now on. She concludes by saying that Joseph is despicable for having tried to seduce his too-trusting friend’s wife while also trying to marry his ward (Maria), and then leaves the room. Joseph tries to object again by giving a speech about morality, but Sir Peter ignores him.